Not a Flash in the Pan

Kent State University has survived two levels of NCAA Division I postseason competition and qualified for the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. for the first time in school history.

Evan Campbell, a former West Branch High School diamond standout and the junior center fielder and leadoff batter for the Golden Flashes, is cognizant of the credibility of the competition in the tournament, headed by two-time defending champion South Carolina, top-seeded Florida and UCLA, the team which beat Kent State in the regional tournament two years ago.

While resepectful, Campbell doesn't believe the Golden Flashes will back down.

"It doesn't matter who we play," Campbell said during a telephone conversation from Omaha late Thursday morning. "The three regional games we played in Gary (Ind.) prepared us for the super regional. The three games we played against Oregon in their stadium and in front of their fans have made us battle-tested. They prepared us for this."

Kent State (46-18), which is paired against Arkansas (44-20) at 5p.m. Saturday, has played well enough to win six of seven matchups in regional and super regional play.

"We've been consistent," he said. "We play great defense, our pitchers have done a great job keeping games tight and we've gotten timely hitting."

Kent State head coach Scott Stricklin, who was hired in 2005, also is credited for his preparation.

"Coach Strick gets us to compete every time we go out on the field," Campbell added. "He can get us fired up, but he can also can get us to play loose. He seems to know we can play better when we're not tight."

Campbell was a starting second baseman on the 2010 Kent team which made the regional tournament in Los Angeles and lost two straight games. He earned the starting center field spot last year and was part of a team which split four games in the regional at Austin, Tex.

Reflecting back to the start of this season, Campbell admitted there was some uncertainty.

"We lost six players to the Major League Baseball Draft last year and we had a lot of freshmen and transfers come in," Campbell reminded. "If I had to predict how we would do, I would have said we would have gone 35-25, win the MAC (Mid-American Conference) Tournament again and qualify for the NCAA tournament."

Stricklin put together a brutal non-conference schedule, used several different position players and pitchers in the early going. Slowly, but surely, Kent State started to become a solid team. Two new starting pitchers surfaced, joining veteran left-hander David Starn. Campbell and seven teammates became starting position players.

"We've gotten great leadership by the older guys on the team and we've gotten it in different ways," Campbell said. "Some of it is vocal, but some of it is by example. The coaching staff has also given us great leadership."

Kent State is 6-1 in the NCAA Tournament, but it has shown an uncanny ability to win one-run games. Playing under pressure, the Golden Flashes are 4-1 in one-run postseason contests. Campbell credits that to Stricklin's emphasis on both mental and physical toughness.

"Our offseason workouts are grueling," Campbell said. "We have to get up at 6 in the morning for them and Coach Strick tests our mental toughness by putting us through every game-like situation that we can face. We also condition (physically) hard for the season."

Campbell enters the College World Series with a .327 batting average. His offensive numbers have dropped since the NCAA Tournament began, but he has delivered some key hits, including a three-run home run in the regional-clinching 3-2 win over Kentucky.

"I hit the ball well in the regional, but I pulled off some balls when we played Oregon," Campbell said. "I've been working on my approach and I'm confident I can get my stroke and timing back."

Campbell hasn't allowed his offense to affect his defense in the tournament. He made two game-saving catches that preserved wins, one in Gary and one in Eugene.

With the tying run on base in the last of the eighth inning in the third regional game against Kentucky game, he made a leaping catch to protect the 3-2 lead. With the bases loaded and two outs in the last of the ninth inning in the first super regional game at Oregon, he raced to his right and ran down a fly ball in left-center for the final out to secure a 7-6 Kent State win.

Campbell adjusted to the playing conditions at stadiums in Gary and Eugene. He was able to tour TD Ameritrade Park in downtown Omaha, the site of the College World Series. The Golden Flashes also are scheduled to practice there before playing their opener against the Razorbacks.

"That ballpark is unbelievable," Campbell said. "It looks like a Major League stadium. I'm looking forward to playing in it."

With parents John and Dorothy Campbell, his girlfriend and several of his old West Branch teammates and friends making the drive across the country, Campbell is anxiously awaiting to participate in his first-ever and Kent State's first-ever College World Series.

"It's pretty fitting we've gotten this far after what we went through in our (two close) tournament games against Kentucky and three games at Oregon," Campbell reflected. "We're pretty confident we can do well, we just need to go out and execute like we're capable of doing."